Which weight loss program is best for you? Dietitians and doctors share guidance
If you are among the 70% of adults in the U.S. who are overweight and want to make a change, a weight loss program could help. But there are so many out there, and it’s important to choose one that fits your specific needs. So TODAY.com talked to several experts and put together a review of the best weight loss programs to help you decide what’s right for you.
Is a diet the same as a weight loss program?
The goal of most weight loss programs is to help you stick to a certain eating pattern with the intention of making long-term lifestyle changes. The word "diet" can refer to the eating plan a person follows on such a program, or just a person's general approach eating.
“I would separate a ‘diet’ from a program, which basically helps you stick to that ‘diet,’” Evan M. Forman, Ph.D., director of the Center for Weight, Eating and Lifestyle Science (WELL Center) at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, tells TODAY.com.
“The dietary prescriptions that have been evaluated and compared are reduced calorie, or balanced calorie deficit, low fat, low carb, plant based and Mediterranean,” Forman, who is also a professor of psychology and brain sciences, adds.
Research shows that all these approaches can be equally effective, but the one that works best will depend on the person, he says.
“The main factor seems to be which dietary pattern allows a given person to feel satisfied and is sustainable over the very long term,” Forman explains.
What makes a good weight loss program?
Ask yourself these four questions:
Which program most appeals to you?
Look for plans that include food you enjoy, but make sure the plans are balanced with enough nutrients, according to Mayo Clinic guidelines.
Choose a program that will fit into your life, but don't jump at one that promises quick fixes, Satya Jonnalagadda, a registered dietitian nutritionist, tells TODAY.com. “Instead, focus on nutrition and lifestyle changes — one healthy habit at a time.”
Does the program set goals and track what you are eating?
“Effective programs provide nutrition skills, and help you set weight, activity and energy intake, and make it reasonably easy to track your behavior against your goals, including tracking everything you eat,” Forman says.
A reasonable weight loss goal is typically 1-2 pounds per week, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Is counseling part of the program?
Research shows that the most effective programs come with counselors who can help you build new diet and exercise habits.
“A large number of studies show that people tend to succeed only if they enroll in a structured, intensive program with expert coaches who meet regularly over a long period of time, such as 25 times in one year, in order to provide skills training, problem solving and accountability,” Forman says.
Is physical activity included?
Exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight and counters the loss in muscle mass that accompanies weight loss, according to Mayo Clinic.
U.S. News & World Report 2024 Best Diet rankings
The annual rankings for best diets by U.S. News & World Report is separated into two lists — best weight loss diet and best overall diet. The weight loss list is focused on the most effective eating plans for losing weight and sustaining weight loss, while the best overall diet prioritizes weight management and healthy eating.
Here are the best weight loss diets for 2024:
WeightWatchers
Mediterranean
Mayo Clinic Diet
Noom Weight
Vegan
Atkins
These are the best overall diets for 2024:
Mediterranean
DASH
Mayo Clinic Diet
Flexitarian
WeightWatchers
Volumetrics
What are the best weight loss programs?
The best weight loss program for you will be one you enjoy and can stick with, the experts say.
Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, says she doesn’t believe one program is necessarily better than another, but the program needs to be tailored “to fit individual needs,” she tells TODAY.com.
Based on interviews with dietitians, existing research and rankings, and information from the program’s websites and spokespeople, TODAY.com created a list of the best weight loss programs, including pros and cons for each program:
WeightWatchers Points Program
Mayo Clinic Diet
Noom Weight
WeightWatchers Clinic
Optavia
TOPS Club
National Diabetes Prevention Plan
Nutrisystem
Keyto
Jenny Craig
Trying any new weight loss program may affect your digestion, blood sugar and overall health, so consult your health care provider before doing so.
WeightWatchers Points Program
Not all calories are equal, Gary Foster, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of WeightWatchers in New York, tells TODAY.com.
Rated the No. 1 diet for weight loss by U.S. News in 2024, the WeightWatchers Points Program assigns every food a “point value” based on calories and factors like added sugars, fiber, protein and the amount of saturated or unsaturated fats, Foster says.
Participants get a personalized “points budget” to spend on any foods that they track in an app. People need to stay within their budget of points to lose weight, a system that is “backed by decades of research, demonstrating efficacy for both short- and long-term weight loss and maintenance without medication,” per Foster.
Pros
No food or beverages are off limits
Over 200 low-calorie but filling foods that don’t have to be tracked
Exclusive in-app social network
24/7 virtual chat to share tips, recipes and solutions for common challenges
Cons
Weekly recommended weight checks may feel stressful
Possibly too lenient for some people struggling with self-control
Food-tracking and counting points can feel time-consuming
Mayo Clinic Diet
The Mayo Clinic Diet focuses on eating healthy foods by teaching how to estimate portion sizes and plan meals while increasing physical activity.
“It is a lifestyle change program,” Dr. Donald Hensrud, editor of "The Mayo Clinic Diet," tells TODAY.com. He adds that the only necessary cost is "The Mayo Clinic Diet" book and, if desired, "The Mayo Clinic Diet Journal," he says.
Digital resources, including food tracking, group coaching, meal plans and recipes, and other educational tools, are also available.
“By consuming generous amounts of foods that are high in bulk but low in calories, such as vegetables and fruits, people can feel satisfied yet consume less calories” adds Hensrud, an internal medicine physician specializing in nutrition and weight management.
The diet is divided into two phases: The first is called “Lose It!” and the second is called “Live It!”
“In the two-week ‘Lose It!’ phase, participants change 15 habits, and in the ‘Live It!’ phase, people take these habits and turn them into a long-term change program,” Hensrud explains.
Pros
Not focused on counting calories
Inexpensive
Manages weight for the long term
Different menus and recipes for Mediterranean, higher protein, healthy keto and vegetarian eating preferences
Cons
May temporarily raise blood sugar, according to the Mayo Clinic website
“Lose It!” time-period may be too short a time period for some to change habits
Noom Weight
Rated best weight loss app with coaching by Healthline in 2023, Noom Weight is a virtual weight management program that helps lose weight by focusing on the mental aspects of weight loss.
After taking an online quiz, the app provides a plan (often for 16 weeks) with suggested caloric intake, complete with daily lessons to help change the way you think and feel about eating, according to the company website. The user tracks everything they eat, which is categorized into green, yellow or orange foods, with the goal to eat a balanced amount of all the colors, according to its website.
“We help our users better understand their relationship with food, how to be more mindful of their habits, and give them the knowledge and support they need for positive health outcomes — including guiding them through lessons and habit-forming exercises to enhance understanding and integration of our ‘four pillars of health' (sleep, exercise, nutrition, and stress management),” a Noom spokesperson tells TODAY.com.
While Forman doesn't endorse any specific weight loss programs (and does not have any current financial ties to any), he says that Noom is "one of the only programs" that helps teach "cognitive behavior skills," like how to manage cravings and create an environment with food that reduces temptation.
Pros
Daily lessons to help change habits and behaviors
Coaching support via chat inside app
Tracking tools for food and exercise to hit goals at a personalized pace
No food off limits
Cons
No in-person coaching
Some may find it time-consuming to log everything they eat on a daily basis
Because self-help is a big focus, it may not work for everyone
Optavia
The program is rated among the top five diet programs in 2023 by U.S. News and World Report.
“Optavia provides personalized, holistic support to help transform your lifestyle — with everything in one place: one-on-one coaching, active community, healthy habit creation, the right easy-to-adhere-to nutrition and activity guidance,” Jonnalagadda, Ph.D., who is also vice president of scientific and clinical affairs at Medifast, the parent company of Optavia, tells TODAY.com.
The goal is to eat six small meals a day with a combination of prepackaged Optavia branded products called “fuelings” and homemade meals prepared on your own called “lean and green” meals. Clients eat five "fuelings" every two to three hours, then make one home-cooked "lean and green" meal.
“Optavia 'fuelings' are pre-portioned, nutrient-dense, calorie and carbohydrate controlled, made with high-quality protein, fortified with vitamins and minerals, fiber and probiotics, and contain no colors, flavors or sweeteners from artificial sources — making it simple and convenient to follow,” a company rep tells TODAY.com.
“At the foundation of the program is the Habits of Health Transformational System, which focuses on six key healthy habits, including weight management, eating and hydration, motion, sleep, mind and surroundings,” Jonnalagadda adds.
Pros
One-on-one coaching
90% of Optavia coaches were clients first
Cons
Some may not like the emphasis on prepackaged meals
Potential weight rebound after stopping products
TOPS Club
TOPS Club, which stands for Take Off Pounds Sensibly, has been around since 1948 and now has about 6,000 chapters across the U.S. and Canada.
“In a nutshell, TOPS connects people of all backgrounds, many of whom cannot afford expensive commercial programs, through our network of weight‐loss support groups,” Michelle Ganley, director of communications of TOPS Club, tells TODAY.com.
“When you become a member of a chapter, you’re joining a group of people with similar healthy living goals. It’s that accountability that our members swear by — showing up for one another week in and week out, at regularly scheduled meetings.”
The program does not have any formal counseling as it’s centered on peer-to-peer support. Members have access to a variety of meal plans on the website, with a 28-day meal plan that’s recommend for new members when they first join. There’s no official diet to follow, but many follow the Food Exchange System, created by the American Diabetic Association, Ganley notes.
Dr. Nia Schwann Mitchell, weight management specialist at Duke University, tells TODAY.com a "unique" aspect of TOPS Club is that "people are expected to continue in the program and participate weekly, even after they reach their goal weight."
Her research shows people who participate in the TOPS program for at least one year can lose up to 5-7% of their initial weight and maintain the weight loss for up to seven years.
“As with other weight loss strategies, when people stop doing the things that helped them lose weight, they gain it back,” she adds.
Pros
Online and virtual options
Strong support among people who are going through similar experience
Cons
No official diet to follow·
No formal counseling
Support varies by local chapter
National Diabetes Prevention Program
“The National Diabetes Prevention Program’s lifestyle change program helps people who are at high risk for Type 2 diabetes to make healthy changes — including losing a modest amount of body weight — that can prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes,” Christopher Holliday, Ph.D., director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's Division of Diabetes Translation, tells TODAY.com.
“The lifestyle change program helps participants eat healthier, get more physical activity, manage stress, and cope with life’s challenges that can make it difficult to stay on track.”
Participants have access to CDC-approved resources, support groups, and a lifestyle coach to help them build healthy habits that last a lifetime, he adds.
“Research shows that people who participate can cut their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by more than half,” Holliday says. “The year-long program is offered in-person, as well as ... virtually, and it is covered by many employers and insurance providers, including several state Medicaid programs."
Pros
Clinically proven to prevent or delay diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Virtual or in-person options
CDC-program with evidenced based research to support sustained weight loss
Cons
Cost varies
Primary goal to prevent diabetes
Need to meet eligibility criteria to participate
People with Type 1 or 2 diabetes not eligible
Nutrisystem
Rated among the top five diet programs by U.S. News and World Report in 2023, the program centers on balanced, premade meals and controls calories and hunger by eating frequently throughout the day, according to its website.
You first select a plan based on your age and sex. Then Nutrisystem delivers meals and snacks to your home. You then follow their app to know exactly what to eat and when (usually six times a day) while having daily access to coaches as needed. The premade meals focus on lean proteins, healthy fats, and certain carbohydrates combined with fiber and vegetables, according to the company’s website.
Pros
No counting calories
Customized plans and modifiable meals
App provides support and resources
Cons
Limited options for eating out
Hard to sustain weight loss over long term
Not suitable for people with soy or peanut allergies
Keyto Diet
Rated among the top 10 diet programs by U.S. News and World Report in 2023, the Keyto diet is a low-carbohydrate diet that emphasizes Mediterranean diet foods and fats that helps people “lose weight with no hunger,” according to its website.
First you create your personalized plan with a short questionnaire, and then you get the Keyto app. It includes a 16-week course, a customized lesson plan, a searchable food database, meal plans, recipes and a podcast for members. All members get coaching from a goal specialist, dietitian and personal trainer, per its website.
Pros
Recipes can be easily adjusted to dietary preferences
No counting calories or points
Diet rich in high-fiber foods
Mediterranean-style diet may lend to long term weight loss
Cons
May not work for people with gallbladder issues or irritable bowel syndrome
Diabetics should talk to their doctor first before starting program
Jenny Craig
Jenny Craig is an entirely virtual program of prepackaged meal plans that incorporate the principles behind intermittent fasting to achieve weight loss.
It is rated the second-best diet program by U.S. News and World Report in 2023, but the company has now shifted into a virtual model after it was bought by the owner of Nutrisystem earlier this year.
People first choose among several meal plans, and then the food is delivered to their door in two-week shipments. They eat during a 10-hour “nourishment period” window, then take a break for a 14-hour “rejuvenation period," which includes sleep. Members also get "recharge bars" that they can eat in the last two hours of the fasting period to curb hunger. Weekly coaching is also available.
Pros
Defined meal plans
Coaching available
Structure approach to eating
Cons
No app
No in person coaching
Long periods without eating
Before starting any new weight loss programs, consult your doctor.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com